Installing Masonry Stone Onto Dwelling Exterior

Reader Contribution by Bruce Mcelmurray
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Where we live having a rock fascia on our house exterior just makes good sense.  It is attractive, helps insulate the house and serves as wildfire protection. We live in a covenant community that requires exteriors to be natural or have natural colors that blend in with the environment. When you live on the side of a mountain at 9,750’ elevation there is nothing more natural than a native stone exterior. We have abundant rock or native stone available on our property and putting it to use just made sense to us, not to mention the price was right and the supply virtually endless. Weather at this elevation can also be harsh so having this type exterior saves having to stain or seal the exterior every two years. While we use the best stain/sealer available the weather still punishes the exterior and having a stone fascia will save extra time and money over the long haul.  

Not being a stone mason I realized that I needed to install the rock fascia to the existing exterior in a manner in which it would be secure and attractive. That was solved by using some extra sheets of metal roofing that were used to protect the top and bottom of our present metal roofing when it was delivered. Metal roofing is designed to last 20 plus years and that life expectancy is formulated based upon when it is used on the roof where it is constantly exposed to the elements every day. Cutting it into tie on strips I feel certain will extend the life of the metal. I cut the metal roofing into 7-8” long strips 1” wide (see photo).  Then with a pair of pliers I bent over the bottom into a fold and with a nail punched a small hole in the top where I screwed it to the existing exterior wood using a one inch deck screw. These hold the stone/mortar to the wall and the more used the more secure the masonry addition. The underlying wood is T1-11 that was treated with wood sealer/stain to protect it against the elements over the years. The thicker the gauge of metal roofing the better and more secure the tabs will hold the wall in place.

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